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H. A. DEROY.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AGETYLBNE GAS. No. 604,025. Patented May 17, 1898..

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(No Model.) 2; Sheets-Shee'h 2. H. A. DEROY- APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING. AQETYLENB GAS.

I No. 604,025. Patentd May 17,1898.

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HENRI ADOLPHE' DEROY, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ACETYLENE GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604,025, dated May 17, 1898.

Application filed July 2, 1896- Serial No- 597,846. (No model.) Patented in France April 4, 1896, No. 255,338; in Luxemburg May 7,1896, No.2,535; in Belgium June 6,1896 110.121.769; in England June 9,1896, N0.12,683; in Italy June 9,1896, No. 41,752/61, and in Tunis June 11, 1896,1T0. 183.

of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention has relation to apparatus for the production of acetylene gas from calcium carbid; and it has for its object, among others, to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient apparatus whereby acetylene gas may be produced in an economical and uniform manner; and the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of a slightlymodified form of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional and a plan view of a receptacle or basket for the calcium carbid. Fig. 3 is a vertical section and a plan view of another form of apparatus.

My invention embodies, preferably, at least two receptacles or generators for the reception of the calcium carbid and the generation of the gas, so that when, the charge in one has been exhausted the same may be isolated or out off from the remainder of the apparatus and the charge in the other receiver operated upon while the first receiver is being recharged. I thus obtain an economical and rapid working of the apparatus.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, A and B indicate the two generators, into each of which a charge of carbid of calcium may be placed and closed by covers 3 1 indicates a watersupply pipe having branches 2 and 3, leading, respectively, into the receivers, preferably at the bottom, and 7 indicates a valve or cook located at the junction of the branches and adapted to cut off the water-supply to either or both of the receivers at will. A gas-outlet pipe 9 communicates by branches 10 and 11 with the generators, preferably at the top, and a valve or cock 8 is adapted to close communication between either or both of the generators and the said pipe 9. 12 indicates a pipe which leads from the upper part of generator A to the bottomof generator B; while 13 indicates a similar pipe leading from the upper part of generator B to the bottom of generator A. The pipes 12 and 13 join each other at the point of crossing, and avalve 10', located at the junction, is adapted to close the passage of either the pipe 12 or the pipe 13.

With the described form of apparatus the valve or cook 7 is turned to open communication between the water-supply and receiver A, valve 8 is turned to open communication between said generator and pipe 9, while cook 10 is turned to open the passage of pipe 12. Water now being admitted into the generator A, gas will be evolved and pass out through the pipe 9 to a purifier, gasometer, or other receptacle. When the calcium carbid is exhausted in generator A and the water reaches a level with the mouth of pipe 12, the excess will flow through said pipe into the generator B and, acting upon the calcium carbid therein, produce gas. If, however, it is desired to discharge the surplus water in generator A and charge it again with fresh calcium carbid while receiver B is operating, the generator A is cut oif from the remaining part of the apparatus by turning cocks 7 8 10 so that water will flow from pipe 1 directly into generator B, the passage of pipe 12 will be closed and pipe 13 opened, and communication between generator B and pipe 9 will be effected. While the gas is being evolved in generator B generator A may be discharged and recharged with calcium carbid, so that by the time the calcium carbid in generator B is exhausted the generator A will be ready to again operate, and as soon as the calcium carbid in generator B is exhausted the excess of water will flow through pipe 13 into generator A,

and said generator-B is then cut off by propmay be readily removed for the purpose of 3 being recharged with fresh calcium carbid.

In Fig. 2 I show a construction of receptacle which I preferably use, although I might use plain receptacles, such as indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. 1, the same being perforated either-upon their'entire surfaces or only at bottom for the passage of the water thereinto toact'uponthe calcium carbid. The

form shown in Fig. 2 comprises a casing or vessel 15, having a bail or handle 15 and di-' vided into several compartments (the number ofwhich may be varied).by vertical partitions-16', and'in each of these compartment-s is placed a perforated basket or receptacle 17 each of which latter'is divided bya partition 18 into'two divisions, in which latter the calcium carbid is'placed. I preferably pack the calcium carbid in the receptacles17 in layers separated by layers of some inactive-material, as gravel or'th'e like, and in Fig. 2 the section and curved dot-ted lines represent the-layers of active material orca'lcium' carbid and the intervening spaces theinactive material. I) is an'overflow' for the casing. By thus separati'n'g tlre'active material or calcium carbid into small sections or' layers the production ofgas'is rendered more regular and uniform and the calcium carbid is more evenly and thoroughly acted upon by the water;

IirtFi'grQ the general arrangement and operation'of the apparatus is the same as that describedwith reference to Fig. 1, the arran'gement'of theconn'ecting pipes and cooks being-only slightly modified. A and B indicate the generators; 1, a water-supply pipe connecting'by branches 2" 3 with the generators; 2, a cock located at the j unctiou of the branches and adapted to place the water'- su-ppl'y pipe in communication with either of the generators. 4.- is a gas-outlet-pipe which comm'unicates'by branches 5 6 with the gen erators and also communicates with a purifierl7, containing any suitable purifying material, as coke, which purifies and dries the gas. The purifiermightb'e replaced by any suitablecondensi-ng device whereby the water carried along by the gas is condensed.- 8 indicates'a cock located at the junction of the gas-outlet pipe and its branches and controllingathe communication between the gene'r ators-and the said outlet-pipe. A 9 indicates a pi'pewhich places the generators directly into communication with each other, and 9 a cock therein to control such communication. 1O indicates a vessel charged with the supply-Water. 13 is a water-gage, and 1 1 are safety-pipes which communicate with the branches 5 6 and lead down into the water- ;reservoir 10, into the water therein, the lower end of said pipes being constantly submerged. Each of the generators is provided with a gasitight cover 13, which is provided interiorly with a circumferential gutter 14: to collect the water of condensation. Each generator contains the ordinary receptacle or preferably .theform of receptacle described just above and shown in Fig. 2. I would state that the iseveral divisions or compartments of the basket are in practice made to communicate with each other by any, suitable means, preferably by means of apertures located toward the upperend-of each of the partitions, as at points-a. In operation the valve or cook 8 :is turned to establish communication between the generators and the purifier, and cock 9 is turned to establish direct communication between said generators. Then 'the'cock 2 isturned to establish communication between the generator A and the water-reservoir. The water flows now into a cup, as 20, provided in one of the compartments of the re- 'ceptacle 15, whence it falls to the bottom, and, passing th'rough the perforations in the basket 17, comes into contact with the calcium carbid therein, and gas is evolved and passes out'through' the pipet" to the purifier. As the water rises inthe described basket 17 it overflows through the aperture into the adjoining basket 17 to attack the calciu m carbid therein, and from the latter basket'the overflow flows to the next adjoining basket, and so on till all the calcium carbid contained in the several baskets-is exhausted. The water then flowsfrom-the generator A bypipe 9 into generator B, similarlyprovided with baskets of calcium carbid, Where the operation isrepeated. While gas is being evolved in generator B, the generator A may be recharged after turningcock 8 to cut off said generator A from the gasoutlet pipe and't'urning cock 9 to cut off direct communication between the generators and also turning cock 2 to allow water to flow only into generator B. The cover of generator A is now taken off and the several b'askets'17 removed and the surplus water run oifthrough waste-pipe 21. The baskets having been recharged are again placed within the generator A and the cover replaced and cock-s '9 and'S turnedto establish communication between the generators and the generator A and the purifier; but the water-regulating cock 2"is not turned until generator B isto be refilled, when it cuts offthe water-supply to'thelatter and establishesit for generator A. Any gas which may have escaped into the reservoir through the safety-pipes is conducted away through a pipe 20. The water-supply pipe may be made o'fglass, so that the action of the water mg in each of the generators.

may be observed. It will be observed that the pressure of the gas being generated within the generators will regulate the admission of water, a greater pressure of gas tending to diminish the supply of water, and vice versa, and in this manner the calcium carbid .will be moistened in an automatic manner and just to'the desired extent.

In Fig. 3 Ishow another form of apparatus wherein-21, 22, and 23 indicate generators, and at the bottom and centrally is arranged a specially-constructed cock 35, having water-passage 24. and gas-passage 25. At the top of the apparatus is arranged a speciallyconstructed cock 36, having gas-outlet passage 27, communicating with a pipe 28. The cocks are so constructed that the casings thereof can turn simultaneously with the generators, which are in this construction adapted to be rotated, while the plugs of said cocks remain stationary. A cover 29 is arranged over a charging and discharging open- The water passing through passage 24 enters the generator 21, and, coming in contact with the calcium carbid contained therein within suitable removable baskets, as before described, gas is evolved and passes through a pipe 30 in said generator and out through passage 25 into the generator 22, and thence out through passage 27-and pipe 28. When the water fills the generator 21 and the calcium carbid is exhausted, the water takes the same course as the gas and enters the generator 22. I then give one-third of a revolution to the apparatus, whereby the communication between generators 21 and 22 is closed and that between generator 22 and generator 23 opened to permit the water to act upon the calcium carbid in the said generator 22 in the same way that it did as to generator 21, and in the same way acts upon the calcium carbid in generator 23 when the calcium carbid in generator 22 is exhausted. This is repeated again and again, a third of a turn being given to the apparatus each time that a generator becomes exhausted. The apparatus, instead of being composed of one large cylinder, as shown, divided into three compartments to form three generators, may be composed of independent cylinders, each constituting a generator, and the number of generators may be varied, and it will be understood that the passages in the cooks will be varied correspondingly. This form of apparatus (that shown in Fig. 8)'is very simple and easily manipulated and avoids the necessity of manipulating cocks or valves.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. In an apparatus for the production of acetylene gas, the combination of two generators, a basket or receptacle removably ar-' ranged in each of said generators and divided into compartments in communication with each other, a vessel in each of the latter adapted to receive calcium carbid, a waterpipe in communication with a compartment of each generator, a cook or valve adapted to regulate the supply of water to either of the compartments, a gas-outlet pipe in communication with the generators, a cook or valve adapted to control the communication ofthe gas-outlet pipe with either of the generators, an overflow water-pipe connecting the generators together and adapted to conduct the overflow from one generator into the other, and a valve or cock arranged in said overflowipe. p 2. In an apparatus for the production of acetylene gas, the combination of generators, a water-pipe in communication with the generators, a cook or valve adapted to regulate the supply of water to either of the genera tors, a gas-outlet pipe in communication with the generators, a cook or valve adapted to control the communication of the gas-outlet pipe with either of the generators, an overflow water-pipe connecting the generators together and adapted to conduct the overflow from one generator into the other, a valve or cook arranged in said overflow-pipe, a waterreservoir with which the water-supply pipe is in communication, and pipes in communication with the gas-outlet pipe and leading into the reservoir, and adapted tohave the opposite end submerged in the water contained in the reservoir.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of June, 1896.

HENRI ADOLPHE DEROY.

Witnesses CLYDE SHRoPsHIRE, VICTOR MATRAY. 

